Written By : Jivan Daniel Louis
MALAYSIA is currently still at war with the Covid-19 virus, with more than 11,000 coronavirus-related deaths reported in the country since the pandemic began.
Seven in ten people who succumbed to Covid-19 in Malaysia suffered from diabetes.
Research has shown that people with diabetes are 3 to 4 times more likely to develop complications from Covid-19 compared to those who do not have the disease.
In fact, diabetics are among the most vulnerable groups in the fight against Covid-19 and Malaysia is currently home to more than 3.5 million people living with diabetes. However, many do not discover that they have diabetes until much later.
To address this, the “For Your Sweetheart Campaign” invites all Malaysians to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy with free diabetes screening at participating clinics nationwide.
This effort is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim in partnership with the Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society (MEMS) and the Malaysian Diabetes Educators Society (MDES).
In its third year running, the campaign this year is going one step further by offering the free screening. Awareness and knowledge of whether one has diabetes is the first step towards managing the risk of diabetes-related heart disease in Malaysians.
This is even more crucial now given the Covid-19 crisis and the risk for those with diabetes. Early detection, prevention and treatment is crucial.
Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist, Dr Miza Hiryanti Zakaria says to win the war against Covid-19, several measures have been implemented. These include wearing protective masks, practicing social distancing and above all achieving herd immunity through vaccination.
The most vulnerable group, like people with diabetes, should be vaccinated as soon as possible.
“Diabetes medications do not affect the effectiveness of vaccines, and vice versa. Some side effects may cause fluctuation in blood sugar and it is important to know how to handle such a situation and seek medical advice as needed,” adds Dr Miza.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to claim the free screening courtesy of For Your Sweetheart Campaign:
1.Log on to https://www.foryoursweetheart.my/screen-for-diabetes.php
2.Select the state where you are located.
3.Scroll and select the participating outlet/clinic of your choice.
4.Click “Download” to download your voucher.
5.Contact the participating outlet/clinic to schedule an appointment for the free diabetes screening.
6.Be present at the participating outlet/clinic on the scheduled appointment day/time for your free diabetes screening.
*Each outlet/clinic has a limited number of vouchers available, on a first come first served basis. The free screening is available from now until Dec this year.
